Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve Ryan FINALLY got home a little after 7:00PM.  We had a delicious dinner that I had spent most the day cooking!  We followed dinner with a family program.

Ryan read his children the account of Christ's birth.

We sang Christmas carols with our piano that can play itself!

I think our children might be musicians after all!

 

 The highlight of the evening for me was the nativity. 

Grace was our beautiful Mary

She would not let go of baby Jesus!

and Jace was

 

our handsome Joseph!

They loved it!!  Last week I mentioned to Ryan that I needed about a gallon of hay for our manger.  He went to Theisen's and brought me home a whole bale! It was awesome! It was in the back of my van all last week. Ya gotta love the smell of hay! I don't have a picture.  

We then had a family gift exchange. On the first Monday in December for Family Home Evening, we drew names out of a hat (Ryan's chapka actually).

Jace drew Gracie's name and bought her 

a ball!! Which she loved.

Jace got Hot Wheels and a "really neat"

car crusher from me.

Grace didn't have time to get Daddy his gift, but Ryan's Dada came through with this 

very manly and sharp tomahawk knife!  I mean "can opener!"  I cannot say enough how much he loves this gift! I want to get him a holster so he can carry it around with him!

 Ryan drew my name and got me a beautiful scarf.

We ended the evening with one of Jace's favorite books -" 'Twas the Night Before Christmas"  read by Grammy Jill.  She sent us the Hallmark version a few years ago -it has the abilty to record so she recorded her beautiful voice reading the entire story.

Around 10:59 PM,  Little Rue and Christopher Robin were finally nestled all snug in their beds, with visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads, so Ryan and I scurried down to the family room to play Santa.

Around 1:00AM we were finally able to say, "Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!!"